Cladding

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates generally to cladding for buildings, in particular, domestic buildings, industrial buildings such as storage facilities and the like. According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a cladding element suitable for use in a cladding assembly, the cladding element having a main body including a ridge which when the cladding element is assembled into the cladding assembly mates with a corresponding recess in an adjacent cladding element, the cladding element in use at least partly mounted in a mounting element connected to a structure so as to affix the cladding element to the structure without fasteners penetrating through or into the cladding element.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to cladding for buildings, inparticular, domestic buildings, industrial buildings such as storagefacilities and the like. In this specification, the term “cladding” isnot to be limited to wall cladding, but is intended to encompass roofcladding and any other suitable dividing structure.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Many kinds of wall cladding and roof covering have been contemplated.Known kinds include terracotta, concrete, masonry, timber shakes andshingles, slate roofing, steel, brick and stucco. These materials anddesigns are often associated with high cost, requirements for expertinstallation, large weight, and high consumption of time atinstallation.

The present invention seeks to ameliorate one or more of theabovementioned disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided acladding element suitable for use in a cladding assembly, the claddingelement having a main body including a ridge which when the claddingelement is assembled into the cladding assembly mates with acorresponding recess in an adjacent cladding element, the claddingelement in use at least partly mounted in a mounting element connectedto a structure so as to affix the cladding element to the structurewithout fasteners penetrating through or into the cladding element.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided amounting means for mounting a cladding element, the mounting assemblyincluding an anchor means and a retaining means, wherein the anchormeans is fixed to a structure and the retaining means is in the form ofa recess corresponding with a projection on the cladding element.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided acladding assembly including: a plurality of cladding elements and one ormore mounting means for mounting the plurality of cladding elements, themounting means itself fixed to a structure, the mounting means includingone or more retaining means so that the cladding elements are retainedon the structure without penetration of fasteners through or into thecladding elements.

Preferably the mounting means includes an anchor portion which isanchored to the frame. In some embodiments the anchor portion is fixedto the frame with adhesive, and in other embodiments the anchor portionis fixed with fasteners such as nails or screws or the like.

Preferably the retaining means includes a catch. In one preferredembodiment the catch is a tie in the form of a strut which in one formis disposed in a plane which is parallel to, and spaced from a font wallof the frame member when installed.

In other preferred embodiments the catch is in the form of a recesshaving a plate, the plate disposed in a plane parallel to and spacedfrom the front wall of the frame member when installed. In bothembodiments of catch, the catch is spaced from the frame member wheninstalled by a perpendicular link or plate, so that the catch is in theform of an angle.

The main body of the cladding element may include one or more voids forthe purpose of receiving insulation, and services such as water,electricity and the like. Preferably the voids run horizontally when thecladding element is in the installed condition.

Preferably, the cladding element includes a tongue which is adapted tocooperate in use with the retaining means by being inserted into theretaining means, either under the tie or between the tie and the frameor by being inserted into the recess. Preferably the tongue is disposedat a base region of the cladding element so that the cladding elementmay stand in the retaining element, supported above the ground thereby.

A bight is preferably provided adjacent the tongue, to provide a primaryand/or secondary support for the cladding element wherein the tie or theend of the plate angle may abut an interior periphery of the bight.

Each cladding element may also include a keeper so that an adjacentcladding element may be kept in place against the frame and or mountingmeans, in part by an adjacent cladding element.

Preferably the keeper is in the form of a cover which is integral withand extends from the main body of each cladding element. In oneembodiment, viewed in section, the cover is in the form of a proboscisspaced a selected distance from the tongue.

Preferably one or more seals is provided to minimise ingress of wateracross a cladded barrier formed by a plurality of cladded elementsdisclosed herein. In one form a first seal includes, when assembled,over lapping walls of the adjacent cladding elements wherein the coverof an upper cladding element extends over a top edge to the outside ofthe adjacent cladding element below.

Preferably there is provided an interior region where the two claddingelements overlap, and provided within the overlap region are one or moreprojections, bosses, ridges or other convolutions in the surface ofeither or both mating adjacent cladding elements.

In one form, two ridges (bosses in section) are provided, each on anopening face of the overlapping portions of adjacent cladding elementswhen assembled. The bosses when assembled abut one and other so thatlikelihood of water working upwards through to the other side of thecladding assembly layer is reduced. Preferably, the bosses abut in anoffset manner when installed as sealing may be adversely affected ifthey abut symmetrically.

A second seal may be provided in the form of a step, extending outwardlyfrom an upper region of an outer face of a lower cladding element.Preferably, two steps are provided. The second seal is affected when thecover over laps a step, an inner wall of the cover abutting an outer ofthe step. A third seal is effected when an end of the proboscis isinserted into the second step.

The upper region of the lower cladding element is kept against themounting means or frame by the keeper (in the form of the cover)abutting the step.

In preferred embodiments a rebate is provided at the top of the claddingelement when installed so as to accommodate the retaining means andtongue behind it when assembled, to maintain a general flatness ofcladded assembly following the contour of the frame elements.

In one form the retaining means is one or more individual ties orcatchers fixed to a singular anchor body, itself fixed when assembled,to a frame member. In other forms there is provided a plurality ofindividual anchors, each affixed to a respective retaining means.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In order to enable a clearer understanding, the invention willhereinafter be described with reference to drawings and description ofpreferred embodiments. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a section view of a cladding element according to a preferredembodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view in section of the cladding assembly accordingto a preferred embodiment;

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a mounting means and a frame memberconnected together;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a mounting means showing anchor andretaining means according to a preferred embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a mounting means showing two fixing points for fasteners and acatch in the form of a tie;

FIG. 6 is a similar means to that shown in FIG. 5 having only one fixingpoint and a tie having a strut which in use is spaced from a face of theframe;

FIG. 7 is a mounting means in isometric projection, similar to FIG. 4however the mounting is not continuous but would be used to install theassembly with a plurality of discrete mounting means;

FIGS. 8 to 10 are stages of assembly of cladding element to mountingshown in side elevation view;

FIG. 11 is an isometric view of a cladding assembly mounted to a frame;

FIG. 12 is a side elevation view of a cladding assembly showing a detailof the overlapped section;

FIG. 13 is a similar view to that shown in FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a roof cladding assembly shown mounted to a rafter in sideelevation view including a starter cladding overlap element;

FIG. 15 is a similar view to that shown in FIG. 14 in a wallapplication;

FIG. 16 is a side elevation view of a ridge capping which finishes off aroof cladding assembly in sealed manner; and

FIG. 17 is an exploded view of that shown in FIG. 16 showing ridgecapping mounting elements.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a cladding assembly (inparticular, shown in FIG. 11), the assembly generally indicated at item10. A cladding element 12 includes a main body 14, which includes twolongitudinal voids for insulation, as is, by evacuating the air from theinterior thereof, our for receiving insulating fibres our services suchas pluming, electrical, communications, etc.

A mounting means 18 is also shown in at least FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 to 7. Themounting means 18 includes an anchor 20 which is adapted to be anchoredto a frame member 22 when assembled. The anchor is fastened as shown inFIGS. 2 to 3 to a side wall 24 of the frame member 22 by fasteners (notshown) such as nails, screws and the like.

Retaining means 26 are provided in FIGS. 2 to 4 and in the form of acatch 28 which is in the form of a recess 30. The recess 30 has a plate32 disposed parallel to and spaced from a support wall 34 of theretaining means. The plate 32 is connected to the support wall 34 by alink plate 36 so that the recess 30 is formed by an angle 38.

Another two embodiments of mounting means 18 are shown at FIGS. 5 and 6,generally indicated at 118 and 218. In these embodiments, the retainingmeans 226 and 326 are in the form of ties 227 and 327 which includesstruts 229 and 329 which lie in a plane when installed perpendicular toand spaced from a front wall 35 of the frame member 22.

FIG. 4 displays the first embodiment of mounting means 18 which iscontinuous, having regularly spaced retaining means 26 to accommodatecorresponding cladding elements, the advantage being that measurementsneed not be made to asses the correct location of retaining means andfasteners need not penetrate the cladding elements to retain it inplace.

The cladding element 12 includes the tongue 40 which when assembledcooperates with the retaining means 26 by being inserted in the recess30 or behind the ties 277 and 327.

The tongue is disposed at a base region 42 of the cladding element 12when installed, so that the cladding element 12 may stand in theretaining means 26, supported above the ground in this manner.

A bight 44 is provided adjacent the tongue 40 to provide primary orsecondary support for the cladding element 12, wherein the tie 227 or327 or the end plate angle 46 will abut the interior periphery 48 of thebight 44.

A keeper in the form of a cover 52 is provided so that an adjacent,lower cladding element 13 may be kept in place against the support wall34 or frame wall 35. The cover 52 is in the form of a proboscis 54.

Seals are provided at 56, 58 and 60, to reduce the ingress of wateracross the cladded barrier 10.

The keeper 50 overlaps the adjacent lower cladding element 13 with acover element 52 in the form of a proboscis 55 each integral with thekeeper 50. The proboscis 54 abuts a step of the lower cladding element13 when assembled so that the cladding is held against the mountingmeans 18 and or the frame member 22, creating a line of claddinggenerally following the contour of the frame member 22.

In a region 70 overlapped by the keeper 50 there are providedconvolutions of the opposing walls of the adjacent cladding elements 12and 13. A ridge or boss 62 is provided on one side of the proboscis 54,the ridge adapted to abut, when assembled, with a corresponding ridge 64on the overlapped cladding element 13. The ridges or bosses 62, 64 abutat an offset position so that dust and water is less likely to be forcedupwards into the overlap 70 and across the cladded barrier 10.

Other steps are provided at 72, 74 to further reduce ingress of water.The proboscis 54 when assembled rests an end portion 66 thereof intostep 72 to minimise dust and water ingress. A rebate 76 is provided inthe upper region of the cladding element to accommodate the tongue 40,so as to maintain a continues contour substantially corresponding toframe 22.

To assemble, as shown in FIGS. 8 to 10, firstly the mounting means 18 isanchored to a side of the frame 22 with fasteners. Tongue 40 a of a basecladding element 13 is mounted in retaining means 26 a for verticalsupport as well as, retention against the frame 22.

Rebate 76 is positioned against retention means 26 a and upper claddingelement 12 is then installed by inserting tongue 40 into retaining means26. Proboscis 54 overlaps cladding element 13 to retain the upperportion of 13 in place against frame 22 and provides sealing at the endof phase thereof.

Each cladding element 75 provides an end to fit under the proboscis 54when assembled to maintain good sealing action of the overlap at the endof the assembly 10. A starter element 99 is provided at the base edge ofthe roofline, underneath the proboscis of the adjacent cladding elementto assist with a seal formation.

The cladding elements 12, 13 may be made from any suitable material orprocess including plastics, wood, steel, carbon fibre, GRP, and may bemade from any suitable process such as extrusion, pultrusion, and thelike or milling, and may be clear to let light through or filter sunlight to remove UV or any suitable process.

Roof ridges 85 are shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, themselves having mountingmeans 86 having anchors 87 and retaining means 88 in the form in theform of an elongate head 89 insertable into a bore 90 on the roof ridge85. Seals are similarly provided as at other Figures.

Finally, it is to be understood that the inventive concept in any of itsaspects can be incorporated in many different constructions so that thegenerality of the preceding description is not to be superseded by theparticularity of the attached drawings. Various alterations,modifications and/or additions may be incorporated into the variousconstructions and arrangements of parts without departing from thespirit or ambit of the invention.

1. A mounting system for installation of a surface covering comprising:a mounting bracket adapted to be secured to a surface of an associatedstructure, the mount portion, the mounting bracket including, a firstgenerally planar bracket surface including an inward face a secondgenerally planar bracket surface secured to the first bracket surface soas to form an angle of at least 90 degrees therebetween, and the firstbracket surface including a plurality of catches, each catch having acavity defined by a first catch wall portion extending outwardly from afirst edge thereof at a selected angle from the outward face of thefirst bracket surface, and wherein each catch includes a second catchwall portion extending outwardly from each corresponding first catchwall portion at a second edge thereof disposed opposite to and generallyparallel to the first edge at an angle such that each second wallportion has a directional component thereof parallel to the firstgenerally bracket surface; and a cladding member adapted to beselectively fixedly received into the mounting bracket, the claddingmember including, a first generally planar cladding wall portion, asecond cladding wall portion secured relative to the first cladding wallportion so as to define a void therebetween, the first cladding wallportion including a keeper at a first edge thereof, the second claddingwall portion including a tongue at a first edge thereof, wherein thefirst edge of the first cladding wall portion and the first edge of thesecond cladding wall portion are generally parallel to one another, thesecond cladding wall further including a rebate on a second edgethereof, which second edge is generally parallel to the first edge ofthe first cladding wall, the tongue portion adapted to be matinglyreceived into a cavity of a first of the plurality of catches, and therebate adapted to be received adjacent to the first catch wall of asecond of the plurality of catches.
 2. The mounting system forinstallation of a surface covering of claim 1, further comprising meansdisposed in the second bracket surface adapted for receiving anassociated fastener so as to secure the bracket to a structural elementof the associated structure.
 3. The mounting system for installation ofa surface covering of claim 2 wherein the void is adapted to receive atleast one of an insulator and an electrical transmission medium therein.4. The mounting system for installation of a surface covering of claim2, further comprising a step formed adjacent to the rebate, which stepis adapted to channel fluid generally along a path generally parallel tothe rebate.
 5. The mounting system for installation of a surfacecovering of claim 4 wherein each second cladding wall portion includes akeeper disposed at an edge distal of the rebate.